It Begins with a Vision: The Story of Extra Help, Part 1
Nov 9, 2011
As Extra Help, Inc. starts it newest venture of blogging, I have been chosen to start it off. My name is Teresa Katubig and I am the owner of this multi faceted business. I started Extra Help in 1995 after being kicked out of the accounting position I held with a company similar to Extra Help. I was doing the accounting work as an independent contractor and had realized that the company I was working for had many issues. One of which was owing the IRS, and second was owing their workers compensation company. When you are in this business you want to always pay those two bills first.
I started Extra Help when I as a newly divorced single mother with two kids. I had just finished getting my Accounting degree and passing the CPA exam in 1993. I opened with a prayer and a credit card. In the beginning, I can remember having to collect checks from my clients to deposit before I could pay my workers. I also was lucky enough to find a truckload of office furniture, some of which we still use, from a company in Chicago. This company was nice enough to let me finance the total due of $1500.00. I paid $300.00 a month for 5 months. I can say I had some very nice help from sources I cannot remember the names of today.
The first Extra Help office was in Johnston City, IL at the 4 way stop across the street from the Dairy Queen. We had a sign that you could change the letters on to advertise open jobs. When I look back at starting I barely remember how it happened but I do remember that I went to any events that I could find and told anyone that would listen about Extra Help. I also had plenty of business cards to hand out! Slowly but surely it started happening.
I stayed in Johnston City until 1999 when the office moved to Marion, IL. We did so with the help of the State of Illinois as they were widening the road where my original office was. The state was so nice to help us with the move, at least my tax dollars were hard at work helping us! In Marion, the exposure added a tremendous boost to our sales, services offered and also to the number of staff members. We took on the Circuit City account and immediately had to figure out how to be a 24 hour operation. We definitely had growing pains during those two years but with the pain came knowledge that we still apply every day.
